Travel to Menorca… with Kids!

Última actualización: 20/08/2024

In collaboration with Laia from SarriàPetits.com we have edited a guide to travel to Menorca with children with the necessary practical advice to travel to Menorca as a family. Laia is the mother of Emma (6) and Martí (4) and she is an expert in traveling with the family to Menorca, as she has been doing it since Emma was born 6 years ago.
You can download and read the whole article here, but we leave you a small appetizer so you can plan your family vacations with children.

Getting to Menorca With Children

There are two ways to get to Menorca: by plane or by boat.
Choosing one or the other depends mainly on the place of departure, the time you have on the island, the needs of each family and how comfortable you feel in a particular transport.
There are people who are afraid of the plane or people who, for example, are very dizzy on the boat.
In this section we will give you some hints that we hope will help you to make the right decision.

By Plane, I’m in a hurry!

The plane is the fastest way to get to the island.
In a 30-45 minutes flight you are there.
It is also generally the most economical and, although in summer the price goes up a lot, you can still find very affordable tickets. If you only have a few days to enjoy the island, the plane is definitely your means of transportation.
You can take little luggage, rent a car in Menorca(at the airport there are car rental companies) and, if you are traveling with a baby, you can even rent a stroller or everything you need at My Baby Stock.
Rosa will be able to advise you on everything you need.
An ergonomicbaby carrier will also be very practical, since as you will see later on the island is full of beautiful virgin beaches that are difficult to access on wheels.

By Boat, I’m Taking My Car!

If you are going to be a few days in the island, the boat is a very comfortable means of transport, since it allows you to take your own car and save on renting one and also to carry all the luggage you need comfortably and without paying extra. There are two companies that travel from Barcelona to Menorca: Balearia and Acciona (Trasmediterranea).
The main differences between the two are:

• Trasmediterranea arrives at the port of Mahón and Balearia at the port of Ciutadella.
• Trasmediterranea does not have a fast ferry option and Balearia does.

Which company to choose? Depending on the area of the island where you are going to stay, you can choose one option or another.
It does not hurt to compare prices.
Although Balearia is usually a little more economic, in summer both companies make many offers that you can take advantage of.
As for the normal ferry or the fast one, we advise you the slow one (it travels all the night) if you go with small children.
In the fast ferry of Balearia (in principle 4-5 hours of trip) you can not go outside and you risk that if the weather is not good and the sea is bad, the trip will be extended up to 6-8 hours in a closed boat and moving a lot. If you go with older children who do not get seasick easily you can try it.
During the trip two movies are shown and, if everything goes smoothly, you don’t even notice it and you are already at the port.

Which seat to choose?

The slow ferries, both Acciona and Balearia, travel at night on the outward journey(Barcelona-Menorca) and during the day on the return journey (Menorca-Barcelona).

• If you are on a budget, a cabin when traveling at night is great.
  You can sleep peacefully and leave all your things.
• If you do not choose a cabin, bear in mind that Balearia’s Neptuno seats cost only a few euros more than the Sirena (the most economical) and recline fully, making them much more comfortable to sleep in.

Both companies have facilities for children and pregnant women, as well as toy libraries and activities for children in high season.
You can check it in more detail on their websites:

• Pregnant, Babies and Children on Balearia
• Pregnant Women, Babies and Children in Acciona Transmediterranea

Boat and Airplane Combination For the Experts

This is a very personal option of ours that I tell you in case it can be a good idea for you.
What we often do is that one of the two adults (dad) travels by boat with the car and all the luggage, arrives at the island in the morning, unloads without children around, does the shopping and settles in.
The rest of the family travels by plane the next day (faster for the kids and cheaper for our pocket).

Where to go with children

We all travel to Menorca to enjoy its beaches.
Beaches that in many cases are still unspoiled and have nothing to envy to other more glamorous destinations. To reach most of them you need a car, but the island is relatively small (it is about 45 km long and 20 km wide) and wherever you are you can reach any point in a short time.
This is especially interesting because it allows you to always enjoy calm beaches. The golden and very important rule for a successful day at the beach is to always pay attention to which way the wind is blowing.

• If it blows from the north, your best option is the southern beaches.
• If it blows south, go north.

In the hot months do not forget the umbrella, hats and sunscreen. Large sarongs are very useful because they weigh little and with them you can also improvise a good awning. For small babies, an ergonomic backpack will be essential to comfortably reach the most inaccessible beaches.
We, especially in August, usually go to the beach during low sun hours :

• Either first thing in the morning (around 10am)
• Or in the late afternoon (around 5 pm).

In this way we avoid the crowds on the beaches and parking lots as well as the hours of strong sun. These recommendations and a bit of common sense are all you need to enjoy the beaches of Menorca with your family.
Here we recommend our favorites…

• The 10 Best Beaches of Menorca to go with Children or Family

Do you want more information for traveling with children?

Download your guide of Menorca with Kids now and take it always with you in your trip.